Why cowboys wear spurs




















Spurs are made to help the rider to direct the horse better. Mainly, riding spurs make the horse react to smaller aids, thus making riding easier. For instance, many slow horses require the help of a spur or a riding crop to keep their pace. Sometimes, riders choose to use both spurs and a riding crop. Spurs are by no means a punishment, nor should they ever be used as such.

On the contrary: the purpose is to make the horse react to smaller, more invisible aids. In fact, spurs or fake spurs are mandatory at dressage shows. In showjumping, the rider can choose to use spurs or leave them out. Regardless, when attending horse shows, there are rules and regulations when it comes to the use of spurs and spurs types. Frankly put, spurs do not hurt the horse if they are used correctly. Spurs should never be used by an inexperienced rider: in order to use spurs, you have to be experienced enough to be able to control your leg and not squeeze the horse's sides for support.

If used wrong, spurs can cause the skin to scratch, and in some cases, even bleed a little bit. Sometimes, this is not due to the rider's inability to use spurs correctly, but simply due to the horse's sensitive skin. There are many types of spurs on the market, ranging from ballpoint spurs to Prince of Wales and everything in between. The smaller and softer the spurs are, the gentler they are to the horse. Some horses, however, require a little bit more get up and go, so for them, longer Prince of Wales spurs, for instance, may be a great option.

If you do not know what kind of spurs you should get, you can always consult y our trainer. But most spurs are used when riding horses to command their movements. You can check out the different styles for sale on Amazon by clicking here. You see spurs with varying neck lengths, various rowel designs, and even ones made with balls in place of rowels.

Spurs are used to fine-tune command and enhance leg, seat, hand, and voice gestures to control horses. They basically facilitate effective communication between the rider and the horse. Through subtle signals, a rider can use spurs to motivate a horse to move forward, pick up the pace, move to the side, or even turn around. And through hours of riding and training horses, learn to understand the messages you convey with spurs. But how does it know how to react?

Well, because it has been trained to know what to do and when to do it. The better trained you and your horse are- the easier it is for you to communicate via spurs. But my son-in-law grew up riding with spurs and loves using them. I can tell already that my grandson will grow up to ride with spurs like his daddy.

The horse is supposed to feel pressure when poked, not pain. Spurs that can wound the animal are cruel and inhumane, and using them to injure a horse is illegal for obvious reasons. When you buy your spurs, make sure it is rounded and not pointed before you use them. The tips might become a bit sharp over time so keep an eye out for that. The spur should also not be too long. Also, remember that not all horses need spurs.

Also, when cowboys were overseeing vast numbers of cattle, they frequently needed to use their upper bodies and arms to perform various tasks and consequently were unable to use reigns. Thus, spurs were the primary means for signaling directions to the horse.

The spurs used by cowboys were primarily of three types: the Mexican spur, the California or buckaroo spur and the Texas or cowboy spur. The spur is composed of a heel band with buttons that can be either stationary or swinging; a shank, straight or curved, and with or without a chap guard; and a rowel, that is, a small wheel of various types, such as "toothed," "6-Point Spoke," "5-Point Star" and "Sawtooth.

She attended Middlebury College where she graduated summa cum laude with a double degree in English and Film Studies, and has recently completed an M. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages.

Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. See disclaimer. Why Did Cowboys Wear Spurs?



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